1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a server that determines whether to give permission for operation execution in a server or a client.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, when manipulating a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, it is possible to restrict manipulation by a number of unspecified users and thus to prevent leakage of secrets through a user authentication process (see Patent Document 1). In addition, in the related art, there has been known a so-called batch type vertical heat treatment apparatus (see Patent Documents 2 and 3).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-27567
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 3543996
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-25997
Recently, a manufacturing apparatus such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for performing a predetermined semiconductor process on a target substrate to be processed has been used while being connected with a communication line. Even in this circumstance, it is required, for security, to give permission for access to data or operation execution only to a user having a valid authority through a user authentication process. If the user authentication process is not performed, there is a risk that, for example, a user not having the valid authority may perform access to the data and therefore know-how can be leaked out. Further, if the user authentication process is not performed, there is a risk that the user not having the valid authority may modify parameters of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or the like and thus a problem may occur in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which may cause serious damage.
However, it has been problematic that a great deal of efforts is needed to set up information on authority for each of a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses. Further, it has been problematic that in case of modifying the information on authority, it is needed to apply such a modification to each of the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses and such a modification consumes lots of time and efforts. Furthermore, it has been problematic that since the modification of the information on authority consumes lots of time, there is likelihood that an authentication process can not be performed properly due to a discrepancy between information on authority for one manufacturing apparatus and information on authority for another manufacturing apparatus.